Silicon nanowire synthesis on metal implanted silicon substrates

Epitaxial silicon nanowires were grown on gold (Au) implanted silicon substrates by chemical vapour deposition (CVD). We studied the gold droplet formation upon annealing of the Au implanted silicon and discuss the gold droplets capability to catalyze the vapour–liquid–solid (VLS) growth of silicon nanowires. Furthermore, we investigated the annealing behaviour of implanted gallium, indium, and aluminum in silicon and discuss why and how they differ from gold. It was found that they do not easily serve as a template for VLS nanowire growth.